Black Caps looking to set tempo early on Day Four heading into second innings against Pakistan

Day Four of the second Test between the Black Caps and Pakistan is shaping up to be vital with the weather looking promising after three rain-affected days already.

After one completed innings, the hosts have secured a 55-run lead at Hamilton's Seddon Park despite losing the toss and being sent in to bat on another trademark New Zealand green pitch.

With the bat, another decent opening stand from Jeet Raval (55) has been backed up down the order by BJ Watling (49*), while Tim Southee's six wickets in the field stand out as key performances so far through the first innings for the Black Caps.

With two days of play remaining and the sky clearly unable to make up its mind, the Black Caps know they are in the driver's seat and need to push the tempo for the remainder of the Test.

Getting out of the gates early with runs today will be crucial for Raval and an under-firing Latham as any chance of winning the Test will rely on winning this morning's first session with a good run rate.

Fifty-five runs is a nice lead to have considering the circumstances which have played themselves out so far but a firecracker inning with the bat like what Ross Taylor provided on Day One could be the difference between giving Southee, Wagner and company enough overs to finish the job and running out of time.

1 NEWS NOW will bring you live coverage of Day Four's action from 10:30am.

As it happened: Tim Southee takes six wickets to secure 55 run lead for NZ

The Black Caps have secured a 55-run first innings lead over Pakistan in the second Test match in Hamilton.

5:17pm

The umpires have called an end to the day. Another heavy shower came down after the players left the field, meaning not enough time to get everything ready to resume play in time if the rain were to stop.

4:51pm

It looks like we've got more rain! Both sides are out on the field ready to get NZ's second innings underway. Some dark clouds have gathered overhead and it could be a case of bad light stopping play. This could be the end of day three if conditions were to stay as they are now.

PAK 216 all out

OUT! Six wickets for Southee! He bombards Imran Khan with several short balls. The last one catches Khan wanting and he can only manage a glove through to BJ Watling behind the stumps.

Babar Azam is left stranded on 90 not out. New Zealand have a lead of 55 runs.

Latham and Raval rush off the field as they prepare to bat, Southee leads the rest of the team from the ground. A great performance from him, especially in the abscence of Trent Boult.

PAK 206/9

OUT! Southee has five! He bowls one that keeps moving away from Amir and takes the edge of the bat, carrying through to Raval at first slip.

Amir departs for five runs, Imran Khan the last man in as Pakistan look to minimise the New Zealand lead as much as they can.

PAK 201/8

The players are back out on the field. Matt Henry will resume bowling to Mohammad Amir, Pakistan are still trailing New Zealand's first innings by 70 runs with two wickets in hand.

Babar Azam is at the other end, in sight of his first ever Test century.

3:54pm

Word from the ground is that an inspection will take place at 4pm, which would mean play to be resumed at 4:15pm at the earliest.

3:23pm

Word from Hamilton is that it's stopped raining. While that's good for now, the groundstaff have a huge job on their hands to get the ground ready for play this afternoon.

Riaz bowls one down the channel, and just like Raval and Taylor, Nicholls manages a faint edge through to Safraz Ahmed behind the stumps.

Nicholls departs for 13 from 52 balls, BJ Watling the new man in.

NZ 113/4:

OUT! Raval's luck runs out! Imran Khan angles a delivery across the left-hander, Raval just prods at the ball and gets a nick through to the slips, where Mohammad Rizwan takes the catch on debut.

Raval goes for a well made 55, Colin de Grandhomme the new batsman.

NZ 109/3:

Fifty for Jeet Raval! The New Zealand opener brings up his second fifty in as many Test's. He launches a handsome straight drive down the ground off Imran Khan to get the the milestone.

Just for the record, Raval's batting average currently sits at a healthy 142.

NZ 105/3:

Raval and Nicholls are still at the crease, looking to build New Zealand's first innings total.

Raval has been dropped for the second time this innings and is sitting on 47 from 99 balls. Nicholls at the other end is eight from 25 looking good so far.

Pakistan have introduced Wahab Riaz into the attack, looking to shake up the Black Caps batsmen with his raw pace.

NZ 90/3:

OUT! Taylor goes after looking so good yesterday! Sohail Khan keeps up his line just outside Taylor's off-stump. Taylor doesn't know whether to play or leave, and the indecision results in him getting a feather behind through to Safraz Ahmed.

Taylor departs for 37 from only 31 balls. Henry Nicholls is the new batsman.

NZ 81/2:

Sohail Khan gets the second morning underway, bowling to Jeet Raval.

He bowls five good, testing deliveries outside the off-stump. Raval happy to let them all go through to the keeper. The final ball is pitched up and Raval has no problem driving through cover to get his scoring underway for the day.

10:20am: All signs look good for some cricket this morning. Yesterday's rain is gone but come cloud cover remains overhead - perfect conditions for swing bowling.

If all goes to plan we'll have 98 overs today. Not long now until the start of play.

After a rain hit first day, New Zealand are poised at 77/2 with only 21 overs having been bowled.

Jeet Raval and Ross Taylor are the two not out batsmen for the hosts, looking to build a decent first innings total having lost the toss and been put in to bat.

Taylor has rocketed to 29 from only 20 deliveries faced, while Raval is unbeaten with 35 from 63 balls himself.

Pakistan's four-pronged pace attack will be looking to make early inroads into this New Zealand batting lineup, hopefully setting a platform to win this match and square the series at 1-1 after New Zealand's comfortable eight wicket win in Christchurch last week.

Sohail Khan to Santner, OUT, smart, low catch from Younis, diving across to his right and grabbing it in front of first slip. That's how you do it, Aslam. Full and slanting away just outside off, Santner wafts and sends an outside edge behind. Sohail has his third wicket. The drink will taste sweeter for Pakistan

Sohail Khan to Santner, OUT, smart, low catch from Younis, diving across to his right and grabbing it in front of first slip. That's how you do it, Aslam. Full and slanting away just outside off, Santner wafts and sends an outside edge behind. Sohail has his third wicket. The drink will taste sweeter for Pakistan

Sohail Khan to Santner, OUT, smart, low catch from Younis, diving across to his right and grabbing it in front of first slip. That's how you do it, Aslam. Full and slanting away just outside off, Santner wafts and sends an outside edge behind. Sohail has his third wicket. The drink will taste sweeter for Pakistan

Sohail Khan to Santner, OUT, smart, low catch from Younis, diving across to his right and grabbing it in front of first slip. That's how you do it, Aslam. Full and slanting away just outside off, Santner wafts and sends an outside edge behind. Sohail has his third wicket. The drink will taste sweeter for Pakistan

Sohail Khan to Santner, OUT, smart, low catch from Younis, diving across to his right and grabbing it in front of first slip. That's how you do it, Aslam. Full and slanting away just outside off, Santner wafts and sends an outside edge behind. Sohail has his third wicket. The drink will taste sweeter for Pakistan

Sohail Khan to Santner, OUT, smart, low catch from Younis, diving across to his right and grabbing it in front of first slip. That's how you do it, Aslam. Full and slanting away just outside off, Santner wafts and sends an outside edge behind. Sohail has his third wicket. The drink will taste sweeter for Pakistan